G
Grinding Machines
Konrad Wegener
Institut f€
ur Werkzeugmaschinen und Fertigung
(IWF), ETH Z€ urich, Z€
urich, Switzerland
Synonyms
Grinder
Definition
A grinding machine is a machine for material
removal with geometrically non-defined, bonded
cutting edges, where the relative movement
between tool and workpiece is rotational or lin-
ear. The machine further must provide relative
feed and positioning movements between tool
and workpiece. The movements between tool
support (spindle) and workpiece follow a defined
geometrical path – it is path defined.
Material removal with geometrical
non-defined cutting edges is considered as mate-
rial removal that is made by a large number of
cutting edges normally on abrasive grains, which
are undefined, with respect to number, shape,
and/or position, where the envelope over all
stochastically distributed cutting edges defines
the tool geometry.
Grinding with linear relative movement is
called pitch grinding. If the reciprocating linear
# CIRP 2015
The International Academy for Production Engineering et al. (eds.),
CIRP Encyclopedia of Production Engineering, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-35950-7_16787-1
movement is coupled with a continuous rota-
tional movement, the process is called honing.
Belt grinders, where a belt to which the abrasive
grains are bonded is driven by the machine, also
belong to the grinding machine. Either material
contact can be in the area of the pulley or some
linear belt support. So the cutting movement is
either a rotational or a linear movement.
The same kinematics might be used for
polishing, but there the cutting movement
between tool support and workpiece is not path
but force defined, thus resulting in higher uncer-
tainty of the surface geometry but better surface
quality.
Theory and Application
As grinding machines belong to the class of
machines for the material removal with geomet-
rically non-defined cutting edges, those machines
can be classified in correlation to the classifica-
tion of the different process technologies with
geometrically non-defined cutting edges as it is
given in DIN 8589, parts 11, 12, and 13 (DIN
8589-11 2003; DIN 8589-12 2003; DIN 8589-13
2003). These standards belong to a group of stan-
dards based on DIN 8580 (DIN 8580 2003),
where a hierarchical classification of all
manufacturing processes is proposed. Table 1
shows the classification criteria in the different
levels. The grinding processes are member of the
material separation processes in the first
2 Grinding Machines
Grinding Machines, Table 1 Classification scheme of processes according to DIN 8580 (2003), DIN 8589, part
0 (2003) and of grinding machines
Process Process
Level Criterion
no.
1 Change of material connectivity:
3. Reduction of connectivity
2 Resulting bodies
3.3. Chipping with geometrically non-defined cutting
edges
3 3.3.X Generation of cutting speed
4 3.3.X.X Generated surface
5 3.3.X.X.X External internal
6 3.3.X.X.X.X Contact situation
Grinding Machines, Fig. 1 Different grinding pro-
cesses defining grinding machines: classification
according to 1st level of grinding machines, criterion
“cutting motion” which corresponds to the 3rd level of
hierarchical level and material removal processes
with geometrically non-defined cutting edges on
the 2nd hierarchical level. The third subgroup out
of DIN 8589-part 0 (DIN 8589-0 2003) foresees
to distinguish according to the criterion cutting
motion between grinding with rotating tools, with
belts and with linear motion of tools. As the
machine provides the relative movement between
tool and workpiece, the process classification at
the same time determines a suitable machine
classification, which is adopted here.
Figure 1 shows the distinction made on the top
hierarchy level in grinding machines with
Machine Machine
Level Criterion
no.
Grinding machines
1 As process classification
2 Setup for surface generation and
feed motion
3 External, internal, universal
4 Machine topology, axes assembly
processes according to DIN 8580 (2003) and DIN 8589-
parts 11, 12, and 13 (DIN 8589-11 2003; DIN 8589-12
2003; DIN 8589-13 2003)
rotating tools, which are named rotary grinders,
with belts, which are named belt grinders, and
with linear motion, named stroke grinders
according to the 3rd level of the process classifi-
cation of manufacturing processes.
Belt grinding machines use as tool a flexible
belt on which a multitude of grains with geomet-
rically non-defined cutting edges are fixed
together with a supporting structure, which is
necessary for defining the geometry, when the
belt is pressed onto the workpiece. As the belt is
driven and runs on at least two pulleys, the
supporting structure may be one of those pulleys
Grinding Machines 3

Grinding Machines, Table 2 Fourth level classification of grinding with rotating tools according to DIN 8589-11
(2003) as master for all three 3rd level grinding processes
No. 4th
level X.X.X.1 X.X.X.2 X.X.X.3 X.X.X.4 X.X.X.5 X.X.X.6
Process Plane gr. Cylindrical Thread gr. Generative gear Profile gr. Free form gr.
name gr. gr.
Criterion: Plane Cylindrical Thread Surface defined Profiled surface Surfaces
generated surface by surface by surface by as envelope of by depicting the generated by
surface simple simple profiled tool tool profile with tool geometry controlled
basic basic and simple simple basic with simple basic feed motion
kinematics kinematics basic kinematics kinematics in 2–5 axes
kinematics

themselves or some contact shoe with a mainly
single curved surface, which gives the belt the
required shape in the contact zone with the
workpiece.
The 4th classification level criterion for pro-
cesses is the surface to be manufactured and
according to DIN 8589-11 (2003) is shown in
Table 2 for the most flexible of those three classes
of cutting motion generation, namely, rotating
tools. This essentially holds for all classes of
grinding operations of Fig. 1, but some specifica-
tions concern the typical technological possibility
to generate the surface with the other cutting
motions of Fig. 1.
The classification for belt and stroke grinding
processes is essentially the same; only thread
grinding does not exist for belt and stroke grind-
ing, and gear grinding, which is technologically
possible, is not reported in the standards. Also
cylindrical stroke grinding is not reported
because it barely makes sense.
Utilizing this classification of processes is lim-
ited due to the effect that a single machine is
capable to operate in a multitude of those pro-
cesses and to make different surface geometries
as required by the end user.
So a 2nd-level classification scheme of grind-
ing machines with rotating tools is proposed and
presented in Fig. 2. This scheme again may be
used for all machines classified in level 1.
Figure 2 takes into account that especially the
surfaces to be manufactured strongly define the
structure and axes configuration of grinding
machines and thus can directly be used as
classification scheme. According to this four
machine classes can be distinguished:
– Planar grinder
– Cylindrical grinder
– Gear grinder
– Form grinder resp. coordinate grinder
A separate class of profile grinding machines
is not necessary, because profiling can be done on
a planar or a circular grinder. Also a class for
thread grinding machines is not necessary, as
those operations can be done on CNC circular
grinding machines as well, as it already has all
axes necessary for thread grinding. Only the rota-
tion feed of the workpiece needs to be coupled to
the axial feed according to the pitch of the thread.
For noncircular grinding operations also the
circular feed of the workpiece and the X-axis
needs to be coupled to each other. On the other
hand, eccentric grinding machines are special
purpose machines that can be separated from
the circular grinding machine, because they are
equipped with very dynamic X-axis, which
changes the machine structure significantly. Nev-
ertheless, circular grinders and noncircular
grinders are closely related to each other (Fig. 3).
The third class of machines with coupling
between axes is the generative gear grinding
machines. DIN 8589-11 (2003) distinguishes
between continuous and discontinuous gear
grinding and also between internal and external
gear grinding. In the case of continuous gear
grinding, the tool is a worm grinding wheel as
4 Grinding Machines

Grinding Machines,
Fig. 2 Second level
classification scheme of
grinding machines with
rotating tools adapted from
(Weck and Brecher 2005)

Grinding Machines, Fig. 3 Generative gear grinding is a grinding worm; right discontinuous generative gear
machine according to DIN 8589-11 (DIN 8589-11 grinding: the tool is a double cone grinding wheel
2003). Left continuous generative gear grinding: the tool

shown in Fig. 4, and the rotation is coupled to the
rotational feed of the gear workpiece; in case of
the discontinuous gear grinding, the rotary axis of
the gear is coupled to a linear axis of either the
gear or the tool. The continuous gear grinding
machine is the most efficient grinding machine
for gears. Those machines as can be seen in Fig. 4
also differ in structure and functionality strongly
from the other types of grinding machines on this
level.
Speciality in grinding is processes without
defined feed motion of the workpiece. According
Grinding Machines
Grinding Machines, Fig. 4 Left continuous generative gear grinding machine axis scheme, right grinding worm and
geared wheel (Courtesy to Reishauer AG)
to the scheme of DIN 8580 (2003) and DIN 8589-
11 (2003), those processes cannot be distin-
guished before the 8th level due to the defined
criteria.
Those processes, centerless grinding and
double-wheel planar grinding, are shown in
Fig. 5. The related machines are according to
their appearance, structure, and functionality dif-
ferent in every respect, which shows the limita-
tion of a classification scheme for grinding
machines adopted from a process classification.
Thus, deviating from this classification scheme,
they are distinguished on level 2 of the grinding
machine classification scheme. The feed motion
is established by frictional contacts, namely, the
relative speed between grinding wheel and con-
trol wheel in the case of centerless grinding and
between two grinding wheels in the case of
double-sided planar grinding. Those machines
can apply the same principle as for the feed also
for the automation, which means transportation
of the workpiece through the grinding zone. They
are thus the most efficient and productive grind-
ing machines for mass production. It must be
mentioned here that for centerless grinding
machines also a class without exploitation of the
feed motion for the transport of the workpieces
exists, which is called centerless radial infeed
grinding. More details on centerless grinding
and the corresponding machines are given in
Hashimoto et al. (Hashimoto et al. 2012).
5
Level 5 for the process classification distin-
guishes between external grinding and internal
grinding. Therefore, internal and external grind-
ing machines are distinguished, as shown in
Fig. 6 for cylindrical grinding machines.
Form grinding can be subclassified in level
5 according to the way how the freeform surface
is generated. This can be adopted for the subclas-
sification in level 3 of the grinding machines. But
in modern machine building, nearly all form
grinding machines generate the geometry by
CNC control, which means that coordinate grind-
ing machines prevail in this subclass.
Level 6 classifies the processes in all classes of
level 5 in different contact situations between
grinding wheel and workpiece in the grinding
process, which definitely is no more useful for
the classification of grinding machines as it
restricts the machine application too severely.
But for grinding machines, a final classification
level to distinguish the different assemblies of
axes is useful, because this often also changes
the design of machines basically, including the
machine bed, and is also a question of how many
axes are on the workpiece and the tool side. This
can be seen in the different internal grinding
machines of Fig. 6 as well as, for instance, the
different planar grinding machines in Fig. 7.
Because of the applicant’s wishes to finalize
workpieces as far as possible on one and the same
machine, machines that are capable of
6 Grinding Machines
Grinding Machines, Fig. 5 Grinding without defined
feed motion of the workpiece according to DIN 8589-11
(2003): centerless grinding left, double-sided planar
performing as much of the processes as possible
emanate. From this development vector, three
new machine classes are generated:
– Universal grinding machines: As shown in
Fig. 6 2nd row, right, they are derived from
circular grinders and are a subgroup of them.
Those machines are capable of performing
internal and external grinding tasks. Similar
to most external grinding machines, universal
grinders are also equipped with pivoting
devices for the spindle of the grinding wheel.
For universal grinders, the pivoting axis is
necessary to switch between internal and
grinding right according to Reishauer (2014). Top picture
of the process, bottom corresponding machines
external grinding wheel. Thus, universal
grinders without pivoting axis barely exist.
Such a pivoting axis with tool changer func-
tionalities is shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The
pivoting axis can be built as half-NC axis,
thus being only capable to change the grinding
wheel and adjust it in a certain angle to the
workpiece axis. But more advanced machines
have fully interpolating pivoting axes. Figure 8
shows possible equipment of the pivoting axis
with different kinds of grinding wheels and
also tools for internal grinding.
– Tool grinding machines: These machines
shown in Fig. 9 left emanate from the idea to
Grinding Machines 7

Grinding Machines, Fig. 6 Cylindrical grinding universal grinding machine right. View into the working
machines. Top, internal grinding machines with different area of a universal grinding machine Studer S31 (Courtesy
kinematics. Bottom, external grinding machine left and to Studer AG)
8 Grinding Machines

Grinding Machines, Fig. 7 Planar grinding machine vertical spindle and two axes on the tool side from ISO
from Heisel et al. (2014) with (a) cross table, (b) cross 4703 (2001), (e) planar grinding machine for guideways in
bed, and (c) moving tower, (d) planar grinding machine portal design with moving table and two supports

have a specialized machine for finalizing a required to manufacture cutting tools. These
cutting tool, such as drill, end mill on one machines must be subclassified to form grind-
machine. Those machines normally have five ing machines.
to six CNC axes and specialized software as
Grinding Machines 9

Grinding Machines, Fig. 8 Possible equipment of
pivoting axis in universal grinding machines: (1) and (2)
cylinder and shoulder grinding wheel; (3) cylinder, shoul-
der, and internal grinding wheel; (4) cylinder and two
internal grinding wheels for roughing and finishing; (5)
two cylinder grinding wheels for roughing and finishing
and one shoulder grinding wheel; and (6) two shoulder
grinding wheels for right and left shoulders and two cyl-
inder grinding wheels for roughing and finishing (Studer
and United Grinding Group 2014)

Grinding Machines, Fig. 9 Tool grinder design Rollomatic (2010) left and coordinate grinding machine design
Walter right (Blohm Jung GmbH and United Grinding Group 2014)

– Coordinate grinding machines: These the most flexible machines and the machines
machines shown in Fig. 9 right are normally to accomplish form grinding operations. They
10
X1 X2
Schleifspindel(n)
0º / 25º Werkzeug−
revolver
C1 C2
In − Prozess −
Messsteuerung
Grinding Machines, Fig. 10 Combined grinding
machines. Top, grinding-turning machine; left, view in
the working space, right detailed illustration of the tool
positioning from Studer and United Grinding Group
are capable of planar grinding, circular grind-
ing even generative gear grinding as well. The
task is to finalize geometrically complicated
workpieces also in one clamping situation.
Those machines are often huge machines sim-
ilar as in Fig. 7 e either with vertical or hori-
zontal spindle. The architecture of coordinate
grinding machines resembles the one of mill-
ing machines with 3–5 axes. Grinding
machines are also developing to grinding cen-
ters similar to milling centers, being fre-
quently equipped with a tool exchanger that
exchanges the grinding wheel as well as the
coolant supply, which strongly depends on the
shape of the grinding wheel.
Grinding Machines
(2014); bottom, milling-grinding center with exchange-
able spindle units, taking into account the different
required spindle characteristic for both processes
(Adams General Power 2015)
Finalizing workpieces in one machine is also
the driving force behind developments of combi-
machines, machines that combine grinding and
other material removal mechanisms. Very com-
mon in the meantime are combined turning and
circular grinding machines. Observed are also
combined milling-grinding machines. Combi-
machines, capable of multiple surface treatment
processes, namely, grinding combined with
polishing, roller or ball burnishing, and even
laser hardening, are known.
As example for those combi-machines, a
grinding-turning machine is shown in Fig. 10
according to Studer (Studer and United Grinding
Group 2014) and Adams (Adams General Power
2015).
Grinding Machines
The axes of grinding machines are nominated
as in ISO 841 (2001). Always the z-axis is
pointing in the direction of the tool spindle as it
is shown, for example, in Fig. 6. As the grinding
tool wears fast in contact to workpieces, grinding
machines normally are equipped with dressing
devices, as can be seen, for instance, in Fig. 5
bottom left. They are meant for interacting with
the grinding wheel from time to time to
reestablish the macro-geometry and afterward
the sharpness of the grinding wheel. Those dress-
ing devices are either profiled rolls, covered with
diamonds as abrasives, or generate the profile by
at least two CNC axes. The dressers are mounted
on the spindle stock or on the workpiece side. The
latter has the advantage that the relative geometry
between grinding wheel and workpiece is directly
transferred to the grinding wheel and such at the
same time as reestablishing the macro-geometry
compensates thermal elongations between work-
piece and tool. The advantage of dressers on the
spindle head is reduced positioning times before
dressing and the possibility to set up in-process
dressing, which reestablishes the geometry and
sharpness of the grinding wheel directly during
grinding.
The process properties of grinding are signif-
icantly different from those of milling. This is
also the source of deviations in architecture,
machine layout, and equipment of grinding
machines. Besides those differences, grinding is
often the final process, creating final shape and
quality of the workpiece. Quality of axes and
rotational accuracy of main and auxiliary spin-
dles are often higher than for machines for the
material removal with geometrically defined cut-
ting edges, which is demonstrated in the
following:
1. Cutting speeds in grinding are by a factor of
5–10 higher. Therefore, grinding often uses
very large tool diameters up to 600 mm.
Grinding with small diameters requires spin-
dles with very high number of revolutions
per minute.
2. The normal forces on the grinding wheel are
significantly higher than the tangential ones
and thus much higher than for milling with
11
similar process parameters. Feed drives have
higher thrust forces, guidings, and machine
structure higher stiffness.
3. Ceramically bonded corundum grinding
wheels, which are the standard in grinding,
are brittle and tend to break due to overload.
Grinding machines need massive protections
against failure of the grinding wheel.
4. Grinding wheels are subject to significant
wear. This must be taken into account, when-
ever designing a grinding process. Therefore,
grinding wheels are regenerated on the
machine, which is called dressing. Grinding
machines have a separate CNC machine for
profiling and sharpening of the grinding
wheel. During dressing the grinding wheel
size is reduced. This size reduction is mea-
sured within the kinematic of the dresser and
provided to the CNC control for correct posi-
tioning of the newly regenerated grinding
wheel.
Processes with large material removal and
thus large wear need in-process regeneration
of grinding wheels.
5. As the grinding process often is the final
manufacturing step in a process chain, qual-
ity and accuracy play a major role. This
imposes severe requirements on positioning
accuracy and quality of the spindle rotation.
This might be one of the reasons, why the
tool changer did so slowly conquer the grind-
ing process. With each tool change, a loss of
accuracy of about a few micrometers is
connected, which increases the radial and
tangential runout. For precision manufactur-
ing, the grinding wheel must be dressed after
tool change.
6. Because of the high rotational speed of the
spindle, grinding machines need a balancing
device to reduce centrifugal forces. To estab-
lish a grinding wheel after exchange, the
geometric runout is reduced by the dresser,
and afterward a static and dynamic balancing
takes place.
7. The heat generated due to high forces and
high cutting speeds in the grinding zone must
be withdrawn again by coolant flow. The
coolant flow has also the task to clean the
12
grinding wheel and to flush the chips. The
coolant supply and regeneration by filtering
is crucial for a reliable grinding process and
must be secured by the grinding machine.
Thus, the energy required for grinding
might be dominated by the coolant supply
8. Grinding machines with oil as coolant
require a fire protection.
9. Grinding machines are preferably equipped
with a contact recognition sensor on acoustic
emission (AE) basis, to detect, when the
grinding wheel touches the workpiece. With
this very precise relative material, removal
can be achieved.
10. For high-quality parts, measuring devices for
in situ measuring of the part geometry have
been developed. Parts can be measured and
corrected directly on the machine.
Cross-References
▶ Belt Grinding
▶ Dressing
▶ Gear Grinding
▶ Grinding
▶ Grinding Fluid
▶ Grinding Wheel
▶ Machine Tool
References
Adams General Power GmbH (2015) Milling- Boring-
Turning- Grinding Centers FDS. http://www.adams-
tec.com/Produkte/produkte.html. Accessed 9 Mar
2015
Blohm Jung GmbH, United Grinding Group (2014) Pre-
sentation. Blohm Jung GmbH, Hamburg
DIN 8580 (2003) Fertigungsverfahren – Begriffe,
Einteilung [Manufacturing processes – terms and def-
initions, classification]. Beuth, Berlin. (in German)
Grinding Machines
DIN 8589-0 (2003-09) Fertigungsverfahren Spanen – Teil
0: Allgemeines – Einordnung, Unterteilung, Begriffe
[Manufacturing processes chip removal – Part 0:
general – classification, subdivision, terms and defini-
tions]. Beuth, Berlin. (in German)
DIN 8589-11 (2003-09) Fertigungsverfahren
Spanen – Teil 11: Schleifen mit rotierendem
Werkzeug: Einordnung, Unterteilung, Begriffe
[Manufacturing processes chip removal – Part 11:
grinding with rotating tool – classification, subdivi-
sion, terms and definitions]. Beuth, Berlin.
(in German)
DIN 8589-12 (2003-09) Fertigungsverfahren
Spanen – Teil 12: Bandschleifen; Einordnung,
Unterteilung, Begriffe [Manufacturing processes chip
removal – Part 12: belt grinding – classification, sub-
division, terms and definitions]. Beuth, Berlin.
(in German)
DIN 8589-13 (2003-09): Fertigungsverfahren
Spanen – Teil 13: Hubschleifen; Einordnung,
Unterteilung, Begriffe [Manufacturing processes chip
removal – Part 13: honing with linear cutting
motion – classification, subdivision, terms and defini-
tions]. Beuth, Berlin. (in German)
Hashimoto F, Gallego I, Oliveira JG, Barrenetxea D,
Takahashi M, Sakakibara K, Stalfelt H-O, Staadt G,
Ogawa K (2012) Advances in centerless grinding tech-
nology. Ann CIRP 61(2):747–770
Heisel U, Klocke F, Uhlmann E, Spur G (2014) Handbuch
Spanen [Handbook chip removal]. Carl Hanser,
M€ unchen
ISO 4703 (2001) Test conditions for surface grinding
machines with two columns – machines for grinding
slideways – testing of the accuracy. Beuth, Berlin
ISO 841 (2001) Industrial automation systems – physical
device control – coordinate system and motion nomen-
clature. Beuth, Berlin
Reishauer AG (2014) RZ 60 bis RZ 360 Wälzschleif-
maschine, Stand der Technik beim Reishauer
Wälzschleifen. Reishauer AG, Wallisellen
Rollomatic AG (2010) Product presentation of
GrindSmart ®620XS. Rollomatic AG/Le Landeron,
Switzerland
Studer AG, United Grinding Group (2014) Presentation.
Studer, Hamburg
Weck M, Brecher C (2005) Werkzeugmaschinen 1:
Maschinenarten und Anwendungsbereiche [Machine
Tools 1: types of machine tools and range of applica-
tion]. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg. (in German)